The 2024 Gingerbread Village at the Hotel Captain Cook, created by UAA Culinary Arts students led by associate professor and pastry chef Kellie Puff, continuing the beloved holiday tradition after Joe Hickel’s retirement.
📸 Photo by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage
For more than four decades, the gingerbread village at the Hotel Captain Cook in Anchorage, Alaska was one of the city’s most beloved holiday traditions, one that drew locals and visitors alike to the hotel lobby each Christmas season.
🧁 Joe Hickel’s Legacy (1978–2023)
Joe Hickel’s iconic Gingerbread Village at the Hotel Captain Cook, filmed in 2021. This festive carousel—set to playful, old-timey music—was part of the beloved holiday display Hickel handcrafted for more than four decades, becoming a treasured Anchorage tradition.
🎄🎠 Video: Alaska Headline Living ©️
Pastry chef Joe Hickel began creating the gingerbread village in 1978 and continued the tradition for 45 years. What started as a seasonal project grew into an extraordinary holiday centerpiece, eventually reaching roughly 270 square feet in size. Each display was known for its intricate detail and careful craftsmanship, built entirely from gingerbread, icing, chocolate, and candy. Hickel typically began work in the summer, spending months preparing before assembling the village by early December. Over the decades, it became a beloved holiday staple in downtown Anchorage, drawing generations of visitors and becoming part of many families’ seasonal traditions. The village’s impact reached beyond Alaska as well, earning national recognition when it was featured on Historic Hotels of America’s “Top 25 Most Magnificent Gingerbread Displays” lists, cementing its place in holiday culture nationwide.
🍬 Transition After Hickel’s Retirement
✨ 2024 The First Year Without Hickel
📸 Photo by James Evans / University of Alaska Anchorage
When Hickel retired in 2023, many worried the long-running tradition might come to an end. In 2024, University of Alaska Anchorage Culinary Arts students stepped in to revive it under the guidance of pastry chef and associate professor Kellie Puff. Students designed, baked, and constructed an entirely new gingerbread village, creating 11 houses along with bridges and decorative elements, each reflecting individual creativity ranging from Candy Land inspired designs to rustic log cabin tributes. While intentionally smaller than Hickel’s later displays, the village was rich in detail and personal touches. The 2024 display was warmly received by locals, visitors, and even Joe Hickel himself, and both UAA and the Hotel Captain Cook have indicated plans to continue the collaboration in future years.
🎅 2025 Gingerbread Village: What’s New
🏘️ Expanded and Evolved Display
For the 2025 season, the gingerbread village tradition continues at the Hotel Captain Cook with UAA students once again collaborating with the hotel’s pastry chefs to create the display. Recent information indicates this year’s village is larger and more elaborate than the 2024 version, building on last year’s success while expanding its scale and detail. The focus remains on honoring Joe Hickel’s legacy while introducing fresh ideas and creativity from both culinary students and professional pastry staff. The partnership continues to provide hands-on learning for students while bringing new artistic perspectives to a longtime Anchorage holiday tradition.
📍 Where and When to See It
- The gingerbread village is displayed in the lobby of the Hotel Captain Cook through the holiday season and into the New Year. University of Alaska Anchorage
- It’s free for the public to view and has become a festive stop for Anchorage residents and visitors. University of Alaska Anchorage
